What My Grandfather Taught Me About Being a Father. What Do You Cherish? Can Reflux in Babies Be Treated with Diet?

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What My Grandfather Taught Me About Being a Father

“My grandfather was a major influence in my life and impacted what kind of father I became years later. Here’s what I learned from him.

More than 30 years ago, our oldest child was born. When this precious little miracle came into our lives, frankly, I was scared to death. I had not been around many babies in my life, so I knew basically nothing about them, and the idea of being responsible for a new little life was overwhelming!

Not only was I quite nervous about holding our baby and way out of my depth when it came to changing a diaper, I was even more unprepared for the lifelong task of being a father! But life doesn’t wait until we feel ready for challenges. Eventually, more children came, and with time and experience, the job became much less daunting.

As a boy growing up, the most stable and beloved man in my life was my maternal grandfather. I spent a lot of time on his farm and even lived there for part of my childhood.

Even though he died several years before I met my wife, the strength and example of this wonderful man taught me a lot about being a dad—not just from things he said, but from how he lived his life.

I’d like to share some of those lessons in this blog post.

Lesson 1: Strength

Grandpa was physically strong. As a teen working with him shoveling corn in a granary, I was certain I could outwork my grandpa, who seemed like an old man.

The strength and example of this wonderful man taught me a lot about being a dad—not just from things he said, but from how he lived his life. So, I started shoveling faster and harder to prove my point. But it wasn’t long until I was sweating, dirty, worn-out and falling further behind! It was amazing how strong that “old” man really was!

But even more impressive than his physical strength was his strength of character. As a preteen, he had broken his back severely in an accident, but he never let it slow him down. He was mentally and emotionally tough—enduring several hard times throughout his life, including the death of a baby.

And, most importantly, he was spiritually tough—remaining faithful to God to the day he died.

Lesson 2: Patience

My grandpa consistently demonstrated untiring patience, no matter the circumstances. That trait was something he taught me when working with livestock.

There are times to yell and holler to stop the animals or herd them in a certain direction, but he also knew when patience, using slower movements and a calm voice, would work much better. 

While working on farm equipment (and on a farm something always needs to be repaired or maintained), I’d sometimes get frustrated and growl at a “stupid wrench” or “stupid bolt.” Grandpa would remind me that the wrench and bolt were neither stupid nor smart, but that I was the one who had the option to be one or the other. Then he’d calmly examine my predicament and teach me a better way to get the job done.

His approach to people was similar. He was patient and able to put people at ease. He always took the time to listen and help people if he could. 

Lesson 3: Reliability

There was never a question in my mind whether Grandpa would be there when I needed him. An example I’ll never forget was with my first car, a rather homely 11-year-old 1967 Plymouth.

One day, on my way home from work, a back tire blew on my car. Grandpa had taught me how to change a tire, so I jacked up the car and went to work. But the lug nut didn’t want to come off. I figured I would put all my strength into it, but the entire lug bolt twisted off, nut and all! Then I tried another, and got the same result. With only three left, I was in trouble! I walked to the nearest farmhouse to use the phone and called Grandpa.

To my great relief, he pulled up a short time later. He stood and looked at the car for what seemed like a solid minute, then discovered an easy solution for properly removing the remaining bolts.

He was always there for me, and I knew it!

And he wasn’t there just for me. I saw Grandpa stop whatever he was doing when a neighbor came by to ask for help. If a church member needed help, Grandpa would drive two or three hours round-trip to help them. It’s just who he was.

Lesson 4: Integrity

My grandpa was a man of his word. He was always careful about making promises, but once he promised, it was as good as done. Whether it was a promise to help a neighbor, rototill Grandma’s garden or take me fishing—if he said it, he would do it.

I remember a day Grandpa promised to take me fishing as soon as he was done working on the truck. I remember standing near him with my pole, itching to go. Finally, with a sigh, he got up, wiped the grease from his hands, and we went fishing!

As much as he needed to finish the truck, he made good on his promise.

He had integrity, and he expected it from others, too, including me. That was a powerful lesson and example that has continued to impact my life.

The characteristics I learned from my grandfather—strength, patience, reliability and integrity—are all vital for a father to be a good example to his children and grandchildren. As we come to Father’s Day this year, I hope fathers and future fathers can learn from his example—just as I did.” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/what-my-grandfather-taught-me-about-being-a-father/?

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What Do You Cherish?

Cherish is a word we don’t hear very much anymore, except perhaps in wedding ceremonies. 

Dictionaries tell us it means to hold dear, treat with tenderness, to nurture or cultivate with care and affection. 

To gain a picture of what it really means, consider two scenarios:  

A man with a very large yard begins to have problems with his old and well-used riding lawn mower. 

The mechanic determines the engine needs to be replaced, but a new engine would cost more than the mower is worth, especially considering that the transmission and all the pulleys, bearings and other moving parts are already well worn from years of use.  So the man decides not to repair the old machine, but to sell it for parts and purchase a new or newer used lawn mower. His decision makes sense.

Another man’s son has a terrible accident on his bicycle, shattering his right arm and elbow. 

The doctor determines surgery is needed to take out bone chips, install a metal rod to strengthen the shattered bone, and this will be followed by months of therapy to ensure the child will eventually regain the full use and range of motion of his arm.  Without giving more than a passing thought to the thousands of dollars this is going to cost, and the time and effort the entire family will put into helping the boy recover, the father immediately agrees to the surgery. Once again, his decision makes sense.

These two scenarios illustrate what we cherish. 

To the man with the riding lawn mower, it was just a tool that he needed to care for his large yard, and it had served well for a number of years.

However, it had reached the end of its useful life, and the man did not cherish it enough to spend all that would have been necessary to bring it to a reasonable working condition.  It was easier, faster and, in the long run, perhaps even less expensive to discard the old one and purchase a new one. 

The son, of course, was cherished deeply.  The father would work as long as needed—years perhaps—to make sure his son had the medical care he needed.  His family would tenderly nurture and encourage the boy through the surgeries and rehabilitation until he regained strength and use of his arm.  They would willingly invest whatever is necessary for the long-term welfare of the boy. 

The world around us far too often treats relationships like the lawn mower rather than the boy. 

If a relationship (marriage, family or friendship) is damaged or at a difficult place, it may seem easier to discard the old one and move on.  We know relationships can’t be fixed by simply buying and installing a new part—much as we might wish it would be that easy!  Relationships have to be healed, nurtured and cared for. And that takes a lot of time and effort. It often involves us admitting some fault as well, which is painful.  So instead, far too many people divorce, quit speaking to each other, ignore each other and seek to find someone else.

The sad reality is that some relationships can’t be repaired, and in some cases, perhaps, should not be.  And relationships are also different in that the lawn mower doesn’t put any effort into getting itself fixed.  Relationships, on the other hand, can rarely if ever be healed without everyone involved putting forth the effort.

It comes down to a matter of what we cherish.

Let me combine this thought with something I read a while back: 

In many homes (including my own), the refrigerator has magnets holding up crayon drawings, a report card or a photograph.  We put them where we can see them every day because they remind us of the child/grandchild/friend who drew that picture, earned that grade or posed for that photo.  It is special because in that sense it reminds us of the one who created it. How we respond to a picture reflects how we feel about the one who drew it or posed for it. 

Bringing this back to relationships, how we treat another human being created in God’s image in many ways reflects how we feel about the Creator.  If we cherish the truth we have, the calling we’ve been given, and the God who loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die in our stead, then let’s be sure we consider how we cherish the relationships we have in our lives.  And let’s be willing to spend the time and effort required to keep them strong, or to heal them.

Here are some additional resources that can help you build stronger relationships:

• Seven Keys to Better Relationships
• The 5 Rs of Healing Relationships (Recognize, Repent, Replace, Reconcile & Retry)

Kind regards, and have a great rest of your week, Tom Clark, for Life, Hope and Truth”

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Can Reflux in Babies Be Treated with Diet? 

Can we treat the cause of infant reflux with maternal milk elimination?

There has been a longstanding problem among zookeepers: The gorillas were throwing up all of the time. “The practice of regurgitation has never been reported in wild Gorillas but it has unfortunately been accepted as normal by many keepers of captive animals.” What were they feeding them? Gorillas are big, strong animals, so they made sure to feed them a lot of protein—cottage cheese, meat, eggs, and milk—until a zoo in Germany got the radical idea of feeding them their natural diet of “leaves and vegetables.” And, the “change…following the alterations to the diet was astonishing.” Before the change, a silverback had been regurgitating and vomiting during most of the day. But, by the third day of eating what they were supposed to eat, he and the rest of the troop were miraculously cured.

Even just removing milk from the diets of the captive gorillas led to significant improvements. Cow’s milk was “historically considered an essential item in the captive gorilla diet,” but researchers showed that eliminating it may reduce such “undesirable behaviors…and may be a step toward better approximating the natural diet for captive gorillas.” The zookeepers were giving them animal milk after weaning—that is, giving animal milk to adults. Milk is for babies. What’s more, they were giving milk from a bovine to a primate. What were these zookeepers thinking?

I’m reminded of a landmark study I discuss in my video Treating Reflux in Babies with Diet. Eighty-one children presenting with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were given drugs, and two-thirds got better, but 27 kids did not. So, the researchers eliminated cow’s milk from their diets. Within one month, all 27 were cured.

“Symptoms of acid regurgitation, heartburn or both occur at least once a week in 10–20% of adults belonging to the western world” and up to about 25 percent of all infants. It’s normal for babies to spit up occasionally—that’s not what we’re talking about. It can actually get quite serious. Up to a quarter of “infants present with regurgitation severe enough for parents to seek medical help,” and it may just be that they’re sensitive to cow’s milk. The symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy “overlap with many symptoms of GERD, or may coexist or complicate GERD,” or reflux. Even if there’s no formal dairy allergy per se, there appears to be some kind of cow’s milk “hypersensitivity” among many infants and children with severe reflux.

There are all sorts of invasive tests, such as sticking pH probes down the baby’s throat, but probably the most practical test in routine pediatric practice is just a trial of a cow’s milk protein elimination diet for two to four weeks in infants with reflux.

The gold standard is what’s called an elimination and rechallenge protocol, where there is a “full resolution of symptoms via strict elimination followed by recurrence [of symptoms] on reintroduction of cow’s milk protein.” Two hundred or so infants diagnosed with reflux were put on a cow’s milk–free diet, then were given the challenge tests. Eighty-five of the 204 infants with reflux were actually suffering from a cow’s milk allergy or hypersensitivity.

So what’s happening? We think our immune system understandably considers the bovine proteins as foreign and attacks, triggering an inflammatory response, which irritates the nerves lining the digestive tract. That then results in abnormalities in the rhythmic contractions of the stomach, triggering the regurgitation. We’re not just talking about formula-fed infants either. Cow’s milk protein allergy “can occur in exclusively breastfed infants,” too, “as intact cow’s milk proteins can be secreted in breast milk.” If the mom drinks milk or eats eggs, the proteins can get into her baby. Cow’s milk protein and other foreign proteins can pass into human breastmilk. So, “breast-fed infants with regurgitation and vomiting may therefore benefit from a trial of withdrawal of cow’s milk and eggs from the maternal diet.”

Indeed, that is now the consensus recommendation of both the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. Anytime you see reflux, the first thing to try is a therapeutic trial of either a cow’s milk protein–free formula or, for infants who are breastfed, a strict maternal cow’s milk protein elimination diet. Then we can potentially treat the cause without using unnecessary medications and certainly before considering anti-reflux surgery.”  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/can-reflux-in-babies-be-treated-with-diet/?

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Is It Okay to Wear a Cross? A Little Child’s Prayers Matters to God. Update.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Is It Okay to Wear a Cross? Why or Why Not?

“Why don’t we use the image of a cross—symbolizing the crucifixion of Christ—as a symbol of our faith? Should you use a cross as the symbol of yours?

The symbol of the cross is used around the world to represent Jesus Christ and Christianity. Yet, if you visit a congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association (which sponsors this website), and meet our members, you may notice that they are not wearing or displaying the cross to demonstrate their faith. You may also notice that the cross is not displayed on our website or any of our publications—even though we are Christians. We believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and recognize Him as our Lord, Savior and the Head of our Church (Colossians 1:18).

So why don’t we use the image of the cross—typically symbolizing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ—as a symbol of our faith? Should you use the cross as the symbol of your faith?

The Bible and history help provide answers to this question.

The cross predates Christianity

A study of ancient history reveals that the cross was used as a religious symbol long before the first century A.D.—when Jesus Christ walked the earth, was crucified and resurrected. The Bible does not record the use of the cross as a physical religious symbol in either the Old or New Testaments. But historical records of other civilizations do make record of the cross as a symbol.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, records: “From its simplicity of form, the cross has been used both as a religious symbol and as an ornament, from the dawn of man’s civilization. Various objects, dating from periods long anterior [preceding] to the Christian era, have been found, marked with crosses of different designs, in almost every part of the old world” (Vol. 7, p. 506).

George Willard Benson, in his book The Cross: Its History and Symbolism, writes: “Centuries before the Christian era ancient crosses were in use as pagan emblems. They have been found carved in stone dating back to remote ages” (p. 16).

It is a historical fact that the cross has been used as a symbol of pagan religions going back to antiquity. Further study reveals that the cross can be found in the ancient religions of Babylon, India, Syria, Egypt, Rome and other ancient pagan cultures.

The Bible is clear that God forbids the practice of syncretism—mixing elements of pagan beliefs and practice with the worship of the true God.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32 plainly states that worshippers of the true God are to be extremely careful not to try to worship and honor God in the way that pagan nations worshipped and honored their gods. It is very clear, based on history, that the cross was used to represent and worship the false gods of many cultures and religions.

Cross adopted after the Bible

The cross as a physical symbol is also absent from the writings of the New Testament. The Bible does not say anything about the apostles or early Christians representing their faith by displaying crosses. History records that the cross wasn’t adopted as the institutional symbol of Christianity until about 300 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Encyclopaedia Britannica records: “It was not until the time of Constantine that the cross was publicly used as the symbol of the Christian religion. … Under Constantine it became the acknowledged symbol of Christianity” (11th edition, Vol. 7, p. 506). Constantine the Great ruled the Roman Empire more than 250 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Not necessarily a cross

Many are surprised to learn that the Bible does not actually specify that Jesus was crucified on a cross. Though the word “cross” is used in most English translations of the New Testament, it is important to remember that the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language.

The word commonly translated “cross” in English is the Greek word stauros. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, the word stauros means “an upright pale or stake.” This classic reference on biblical words also states: “Both the noun and the verb stauroo, to fasten to a stake or pale, are originally to be distinguished from the ecclesiastical form of the two beamed cross” (p. 248). Theologian E.W. Bullinger also noted this distinction in Appendix 162 of The Companion Bible: “Our English word ‘cross’ is the translation of the Latin crux (kruks); but the Greek stauros no more means a crux than the word ‘stick’ means a ‘crutch.’”

Even though it’s probable that Christ was crucified on a single piece of wood without a cross beam, we can’t be absolutely certain what the shape of the device was. Romans used crucifixion devices of all shapes—sometimes they were upright stakes, sometimes they had crossbeams and sometimes they merely crucified criminals on trees. The shape of the stauros is not important. What is important is the meaning and significance of Christ’s death to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind (1 Peter 2:24).

Worship in spirit and truth

The Bible forbids the use of physical icons to worship and represent the true God. The Second Commandment plainly states: “You shall not make for yourself any carved image” (Exodus 20:4). God did not intend for His people to use physical icons, pictures or images to represent Him. Jesus Christ teaches us that, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

Based on the above reasons, members of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, do not use the physical image of a cross as an object of worship or as a symbol of our faith. We believe that we are to worship God “in spirit and truth”—focusing on the spiritual truths of His Word and not trying to represent Him through the use of any physical objects. We focus on the magnitude of the incredible truth behind the crucifixion of Jesus Christ—that because of Christ’s suffering and death we can be forgiven of our sins and be reconciled to God (Romans 5:8-11).”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/idolatry-second-commandment/is-it-okay-to-wear-a-cross/

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A Little Child’s Prayers Matters to God 

“God wants a relationship with your child, so teach them to pray.

Teach your children to pray, because they matter to God!

I recently bought a doll for my little granddaughter, Stella Rose. Someone made the comment that it reminded them of the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. That comment brought back some awesome memories.

Years ago, when my daughter Michelle was 4 years old, Cabbage Patch Kids dolls were so popular. All of her friends had one, but we could not afford to buy her one. They were $45 at the time, and we could barely put food on the table, so we certainly did not have that kind of money to buy a doll. I told my daughter to pray about it, and she did.

The very next weekend, my daughter had not one but two Cabbage Patch Kids dolls given to her! One doll was given to her at church by her friend’s mom, and the next day she received one from her grandmother; both brand new and different from each other. Now, 36 years later, my daughter still has those dolls. Those dolls symbolize how much God cared about her and her sweet little request when she was a child. I consider those dolls a gift from God.

God values our children so greatly that He demonstrated it: “He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me’ ” (Matthew 18:1-5, New International Version throughout).

When people brought little children to Jesus for him to place His hands on them and pray for them, His disciples rebuked them and sent them away. But Jesus corrected them: “ ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there” (Matthew 19:13-14).

He went on to command His disciples: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). God wants a relationship with your child, so teach them to pray.

Here are just a few examples of how to teach them:

1. Start with giving them examples in the Bible of how valuable they are to God.

2. Tell them to talk to God just like they do to mommy and daddy.

3. Teach them through example by praying with them.

4. Encourage them to pray for their friends and family.

5. Teach them to thank God for all the things they have.

6. Share with your child the times that God answered your prayers.

7. Teach them that they can talk with God all day long and that He is always there for them.

8. Remind them to always ask God for protection for themselves and their family throughout the day, and for God to protect their minds.

9. Tell them it is okay to ask God for personal blessing, like my daughter did with the Cabbage Patch Kids doll.

10. Teach them to ask for wisdom. Read them the story about Solomon, and how he desired wisdom above any material things, and God blessed him with both.

11. Most of all, teach them how special they are to God and that He wants them to talk to Him.

12. Teach them that sometimes God answers our prayers in ways we do not think or understand, but He always knows what is best for us.

Romans 8:28 states, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

My daughter Michelle is a praying woman to this day! She knows that God answers prayers. Sometimes not as quickly as with her dolls–her prayers for a child weren’t answered for eight years. But she prayed with conviction knowing that God knew what was best for her.

So teach your children to pray, because they matter to God!”

From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/a-little-childs-prayers-matters-to-god

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Update:

On Monday, we worked on more light fixtures in the mini-house (guest house),  and on Tuesday we did a bit more down at Roni’s place, now mine, maybe!  Because Roni availed herself of several “free” services like food stamps, and Medicaid, the State of TX now wants their pound of flesh.  But they may decide that the run down property is not worth fooling with, as it is valued at less than $10,000. 

The 16 ft. maple tree that was in front of my house has gone. It had grown into my sewer and it blocked the view of my front door, a security risk.  The couple came with a front end loader, some shovels and after about an hour they hauled it off on the trailer with the front-end loader.  Seems bare without it.

On Wednesday, I took my helper to the VA Hospital in Houston, and sat there all day while he had a balloon put in his esophagus for his really bad acid reflux.  Maybe he will be able to eat and keep food down now.  He is as skinny as a rail.  Thursday, he wasn’t feeling too chipper, but still arrived to work, so we did the kick boards on the cabinets that I bought at a yard sale.  We had the cabinets on their tops, and I pried the fiberboard kickboards off the bottom and he screwed real wood ones on. 

The next day, Friday, he was feeling better, so we moved some stuff out of the new workshop to make room for the cabinets.  It took two handtrucks to move the big 5 foot cabinet, and I was at the top of the three little steps yanking on that hand truck for all I was worth, (no, I shouldn’t say that, as I am not worth much), anyway, I pulled on it as hard as I could, and we got it up there.  The smaller, 3 ft. one was easier. Then in the afternoon, as it was ‘preparation day’,  I was cooking, washing my hair, and setting out my clothes to be ready for church the next day.  Then at 5.30pm every Friday everything stops while I watch “Creation in the 21st” on TBN.  This week it was about the formation of the Grand Canyon.

Saturday was the Sabbath, so I had already made some Parsley Butter Mashed Potatoes for one crockpot and some Beef Stew for the other.  Gary at church had given dozens of eggs from his free-range chickens to anyone who wanted them, so I had hard boiled a dozen.  My helper and I had egg salad for lunch and still had plenty left over. So I made some chopped up hardboiled eggs in a sauce, like Eggs Goldenrod, but I wasn’t too crazy about it, so I didn’t take it to the potluck.  I will titivate it a bit to make it more tasty, and have it for my supper tonight.

Also, on Saturday, I became a ‘grand’ again, I have a new grand-dog! 

Since their great big German Shepherd died, their little Australian Sheepdog has become lonely.  So my daughter and son-in-law have adopted a 6 month old white German Shepherd/mix puppy from a shelter.  He has blue eyes!  They can’t pick him up until next week as he hasn’t been fixed yet.  My daughter asked me what I thought he was mixed with, and I took one look at those ears and said “A donkey”!

The Bible readings were Lev. 14:1-15:33, 2 Kings 7:3-7:20 and Matt. 8:1-17, and the Teaching was “New Life in Messiah”. 

We are a small congregation, and we all are close.  We have a lot of laughs and fun together so the Sabbath is always a great day,

How Did a Pagan Holiday Become a 'Christian' Celebration? What Does God Say About Witches and the Occult? Update.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:

How Did a Pagan Holiday Become a 'Christian' Celebration?

“Originally Halloween was a pagan festival oriented around fire, the dead and the powers of darkness.”

Photos.com

“God's explicit instruction to not use pagan practices to worship Him.

Most everyone knows that Halloween takes place on Oct. 31. Far fewer, however, understand the connection between Halloween and the next day on the calendar, the festival of All Hallows’ or All Saints’ Day, celebrated by some churches and denominations Nov. 1.

One author surmises that All Saints’ Day was established to commemorate the saints and martyrs of the Roman Catholic Church and was first introduced in the seventh century (Man, Myth, and Magic, Vol. 1, 1983, p. 109). Oddly enough, history shows that Halloween—this ancient, thoroughly pagan holiday with its trappings of death and demonism—is inseparably tied to All Saints’ Day.

Pagan festivals from time immemorial have had a curious way of worming their way into Christianity over the centuries. The Encyclopedia of Religion explains that “the British church attempted to divert the interest in pagan customs by adding a Christian celebration to the calendar on the same date as the Samhain [the ancient Celtic name for the festival that eventually would be renamed Halloween].

A bit more at: https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/how-did-a-pagan-holiday-become-a-christian-celebration 

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What Does God Say About Witches and the Occult?

Deuteronomy 18:10-12

“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.”

God outlawed witchcraft and other pagan practices that appealed to the evil spirit realm for their power. To God, it was an abomination for His people to seek help from Satan and his demons. Still, the Israelites were enticed by these practices again and again.

This was not just an Old Testament concern. The new converts to Christianity also took the subject of magic seriously (Acts 19:19). The apostle John also warns that those who practice witchcraft must repent or they will end up in the lake of fire—the second death (Revelation 9:21; 21:8).

How did Western, so-called Christian nations get caught up in a holiday like Halloween that dabbles in the darkness of evil spirits, witchcraft and the occult? See our article “Halloween: Should Christians Celebrate It?”

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Update:

Oh! There is always something when you are doing all new plumbing!  Some little part that you forgot to get, but we have a lot of it dry fitted now.  Still trying to decide whether to use the 20 year old water heater or to buy a new one.  Then we had to steam clean my carpets again, and we pressure washed the front of the houses.  We did the back a couple of weeks ago.

My helper Roy’s acid reflux has been a lot better since he has been trying to stay away from wheat and gluten. For the times when he eats lunch here I have bought gluten-free bread, crackers, waffles, cereal, etc.  All these years he suffered terribly with acid reflux which caused him to lose over 100 lb, but now I think it is solved.  He is trying to cut back on sugary food too, as it seems to ferment in his insides.  That is difficult for a sugar addict!  Do they have Sugarholics Anonymous?

My foster littens are now at our SPCA Cat Habitat at Petco in Conroe.  They will go for their neutering and spaying on the 1st., and be back at the habitat as quickly as they can.  Mandy, the Sheltie dog is still so scared and shy of every thing, and some foods upset her, but she isn’t very good at communicating, that is why we had to clean my carpets again so soon.  Even if the vacuum cleaner is standing there quiet and as upright as a soldier, she is scared of it.  But she does bark when she sees a stranger near the house, so she is good for something.  The gal who used my credit card after the robbery is now out of prison, so Mandy is a comfort to me.

On the Sabbath the whole congregation enjoyed themselves immensely as usual, even though there was one important person/guitarist missing, he had hurt his back.  Our wavering and wobbly singing without his vocal lead and musical accompaniment was really pathetic, but we loved it.  I took a beef and cabbage dish in a crockpot, and a carrot-potato-onion-cheesy casserole.  Someone gave me several pounds of huge carrots that needed to be eaten so that was what I made with them, and some carrot-raisin salad made with orange juice.

The Bible readings were Genesis 1:1-6:8, Isa. 42:5-43:10, John 1:1-18, the Teaching was about Rightousness By Faith, and it was a great day.

World Religions: Why Are There So Many? The Imposters. Update.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:

World Religions: Why Are There So Many?

“Where did all the world religions come from? Do all good people receive the same reward, or is there only one way to eternal life?

“Many of us did not choose our religion. Most likely, we were born into a family that guided our religious understanding, or we were brought up in a country that shaped our beliefs and patterns of worship.

Yet proving that our belief is correct compared to others can be a daunting task. Factions and divisions exist within every religious group, large or small. Millions have been slaughtered over the centuries in the name of “righteous warfare,” as various religions battled any who believed differently.

Religion is supposed to be the way to peace in this life as well as the path to a peaceful afterlife. But life here on earth has not been peaceful. The history of religion confuses many, even causing them to turn away from religious beliefs altogether.

This is true of many who lived through the butchery in the name of God in World War I. Troops on both sides—many belonging to the same denominations—prayed for victory, presumably to the same God.

The attack on faith worsened with the next generation, which fought World War II. How could a religion that comes from God cause and condone such suffering? Hitler thought he was serving God by persecuting the Jews. The destruction of faith has been an unspoken fatality of war.

Do you realize that there is an evil spirit that would love to have you and everyone else stop believing in God? Evil spirits are popular themes in entertainment today, but few people realize that such spirits truly exist. If you are unaware of this invisible force working against the true faith, notice this warning:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil [the chief evil spirit or demon] walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Hold your ground!

How do you hold your ground in this spiritual battle if you are not even sure about your faith? The first step is to determine that God truly exists. The next step is to determine whether He has provided us with any means of guidance. That is, has our Creator told us what He expects of us? Has He told us why He created us, where we are going, what our ultimate potential is? Has He revealed a way of life for the present, as well as one that prepares us for the afterlife?

If we truly seek God, we can prove to ourselves that God exists. Likewise, we can prove that the Bible is His revelation to mankind. God inspired various writers over 1,500 years to record in Scripture what He wanted us to know. The Creator miraculously caused the preservation of these inspired manuscripts, so that humankind would have the knowledge we require to fulfill the purpose of our existence.”

Complete article at: http://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/world-religions/

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The Imposters

An Amazing Fact: “The common cuckoo bird is known as a “brood parasite.” A brood parasite is a bird that will trick another bird into raising its young. For example, the female cuckoo will spy on the nest of a small bird, such as a reed warbler. At the appropriate moment, the cuckoo hen flies down to the reed warbler’s nest, pushes one of the eggs out of the nest, lays an egg, and flies off. The whole process is achieved in only about 10 seconds. Amazingly, the cuckoo egg very closely resembles the eggs of their chosen host. The dedicated reed warblers unwittingly incubate, feed, and raise the young imposter, usually at the expense of their own genuine young. A cuckoo may visit as many as 50 different nests in a breeding season, each time leaving one of its own eggs for others to hatch and care for.

The cuckoo chick typically hatches before the natural ones and then commences to push the other eggs out of the little nest. One of the tragedies of nature is when you see a pair of reed warblers working themselves to death to satisfy the voracious hunger of a fat cuckoo chick that might be three times their size. Meanwhile, if the other eggs have managed to hatch, the starving little warbler chicks are usually pushed out of the nest by the cuckoo chick!

Many people do not realize that the devil, like the cuckoo bird, has laid an egg in the Christian church that has been hatched, adopted, and fed until it has grown bigger than life. The Bible says Satan’s ministers can “transform themselves into ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:15). And Jesus warned about “false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

That’s one reason it’s so important that we avoid trusting in other humans, no matter how “good” they seem. Even a person of good intentions may lead you in the wrong direction. Prominent leaders can err, and have often failed to live up to what is right. In the words of the old hymn—“I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.” Only God is worthy of our complete and total trust.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15”

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Update:

Still working on the guest house bit by bit.  Roy can’t do as much as he would like because he suffers from Acid Reflux and is steadily losing weight.  He is going to have esophagus surgery next month.   Also taking my other neighbor for his doctor appointments.  There have been so many things going on around here.

My foster cats had to be taken into the next town, Conroe, to get their annual rabies shots.  They hate going anywhere and it was not easy to get them in their carriers.  A crawling dive under the bed to scruff a cat is not easy for me, especially when there are two of them.  Dropped some more things off at the consignment shop and donated more to another thrift shop.

We live in the country, but Moe, the lost dog, was picked up in the city of Willis by the dog catcher.  I found him on Petharbor.com where I have been looking for him for the last three months.  The neighbor who owns him and I went straight to Conroe and picked him up.  We never thought that we would see him again, and my prayers were answered.  Now he will be micro-chipped in case he gets stolen again.

For the Sabbath, the Bible readings were Num. 30:2-32:42, Jer. 1:1-2:3, Matt. 5.33-37, and the Teaching was about “Love is a Fullfillment of the Law”.  Then lots of good food and fellowship in the dining hall.  As I don’t really care for rice, I am so surprised when I take a crockpot full of a rice and meat dish and it is gobbled up just about right away.

It was terrible getting in the hot car afterwards, even with the sunshades up on the windsheild and both side windows, as it was a very hot day.

Terrorist attack at Orlando. Why Does God Allow Evil? Making Wise Politicians. Update & Fifth Wheel.

 

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Muslim terrorist carries out most deadly shooting in U.S. history

“In the wake of the June 12 terrorist attack at an Orlando gay night club, we need to consider what’s happened. Many call it “senseless violence,” yet there is in fact a sense to it that is quite disturbing—as is the failure of many to admit that.”

City of Orlando Police Department

Police respond to the June 12 shooting at a gay bar in Orlando, Fla., in which more than 100 patrons were gunned down by a Muslim male who had proclaimed allegiance to the Islamic State.

“The largest terrorist attack in the United States since 9/11 of 2001, and the largest mass shooting in U.S. history, occurred June 12, 2016, at a gay night club in Orlando, Fla. A radical jihadist who swore allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) gunned down 49 people and injured another 53 before he was killed by police. ISIS quickly took responsibility, calling the perpetrator “an Islamic State fighter.” The attack followed calls by ISIS leaders to carry out attacks on non-Muslims during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Yet when President Barack Obama spoke in response immediately after, he would not refer to what happened as Islamic terrorism, following his established pattern, and used this as an opportunity to declare the need for more gun control.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump quickly said the president should resign if he could not identify the country’s enemy here. He also leveled criticism against his Democratic opponent in the presidential race, Hillary Clinton, for similarly refusing to make the identification—though she then said she could use such terminology but did not want to label the whole religion of Islam.

Regarding Obama not mentioning the words “radical Islamic terrorism,” Trump said, “He doesn’t get it or he gets it better than anybody understands. It’s one or the other, and either one is unacceptable” (CNN, June 13, 2016).

The attack has thrown the progressive left into a quandary. Had a “right-wing Christian” perpetrated this act, it would have been used to vilify all conservative Christians who want to deny gay rights. But as it was a Muslim, great effort is made to distance him from “authentic Islam”—lest the left’s alliance with Islam against traditional Christianity be put in jeopardy. The shooter was portrayed as a troubled, unbalanced person—but what Islamic terrorist is not? The real problem is that, while those like him are in the minority among Muslims, they still constitute a sizable number of people—perhaps millions.

This should be a wake-up call to those on the left. Radical Islamists are not their friends. In a number of Islamic countries, homosexual behavior is punishable by death and gays are routinely jailed and/or executed. Commentator Mark Steyn said: “The arithmetic isn’t that complicated. The more Islam the fewer gays … In the end, you have to pick and choose which squares you want in your diversity quilt” (SteynOnline.com, June 13).

While we obviously do not agree with the lifestyle of those who were attacked, we stand outraged and saddened over this murderous attack. And we pray for a world of peace and right understanding under the rule of the Kingdom of God.” (Sources: CNN, Fox News, SteynOnline.com.)

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Hard Questions

Why Does God Allow Evil?

Although this question has puzzled many people, the crucial answer is offered in the pages of the Bible.

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/pl-RGqftrk4

Transcript

[Gary Petty] “Do you have some hard questions you would like to ask God? I know I do.

Unfortunately, many people have become disillusioned because of what appears to be inconsistencies with what the Bible teaches about God. They question how a loving God can allow children to starve or why He doesn’t stop senseless violence. Why does God allow evil?

The result of this spiritual disenchantment is that more and more people are deciding that the Bible is a myth, or even worse, a book filled with dangerous superstitions.

If we really want to understand the God of the Bible, we must be willing to honestly face these issues. Deal with the hard questions.

If you’ve become disillusioned because God seems unreachable, arbitrary, unfair, let’s reason together and look at “Hard Questions: Why Does God Allow Evil?”” 

Video and complete transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-television-program/hard-questions-why-does-god-allow-evil

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Making Wise Politicians  (Dry humor here)

From:  “How to Avoid Toxic Metals and Clear Them from the Body”

“Until we can clean up the planet and our act, we fortunately do have a “dirt cheap,” stop-gap way of coping with metal toxicity. That solution is diatomaceous earth. The only caveat is that diatomaceous earth used for human or animal detoxification must be food grade. To detoxify with diatomaceous earth, dissolve less than one teaspoon to one tablespoon for every 100 pounds of body weight in a glass of pure water and drink before bed over a period of months or years. “……….

“…….In conclusion, we propose to treat the cause and not just the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity. To wit, this election year, we vote for detoxification with diatomaceous earth for politicians as well as all those in elective and appointed offices, including judges, police officers and FDA officials. If candidates were required by law to be free of mercury, cadmium, lead and other metal toxicities that affect their mental capacities, we could have more confidence in their leadership and appropriate use of power. Sanity regarding environmental and dietary exposure to toxic metals would, could and should become an inalienable right.

At the very least, it would be great to have an election where candidates avow to to get the “dirt into” themselves and not dish “dirt on” their opponents!”

^{More at: http://www.westonaprice.org/environmental-toxins/mad-as-a-hatter}

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Update:

Roy and I have made a bit more progress in the guest house.  But nothing that really shows.  Before we fill in the big old skylight with sheetrock that currently has a 4’x 6’ piece of Lexan there, we went up to that attic, moved the Lexan aside and pushed overboard all the rolls of carpet that were stored next to the skylight onto the floor of the guest house.  That was the quickest and easiest way to get that carpet downstairs.  Someone is coming to buy some of it.  There is one roll of carpet left up there, the very lovely Axminster carpet that I will be laying in the bedroom when the walls are finished.

We found a beige seamed rug that exactly fit the back of my van, so we installed it.  Now that all the back seats are out I have 4’ x 8’ of space, so the carpet makes it easier to load and unload things like plywood and sheetrock.

Then I acquired a Western style couch with matching loveseat and ottoman.  For staging my house for sale it would look better than my taffeta Old Rose couch.  So we cleaned the Old Rose couch with the carpet shampooer attachment, then we loaded it into my van and took it to the consignment shop for sale.  Then we cleaned the carpet where the Rose-colored couch had been.  The next day the Western couch arrived so we cleaned it.  Then we cleaned the rest of the carpet.  There isn’t any room for the loveseat and ottoman right now, so a friend is storing it for me.

As the carpet that was in the guest house is up for grabs, too, we tore it up with the padding, and put it all outside in the carport ready for the folks to come and get what they want.  So now there are bare floors in the new bedroom and the old living room in the guest house.  Much better to work in there.

On Saturday 25th, the Bible readings were Num. 19:1-21:35, Jud. 11:1-33 and John 3:9-21.  The Teaching was about “Knowledge” from Daniel 12:4 and how our knowledge has increased over the years.

The big pot of farro, beef, and veggies that I took to church which was liked, and I was able to keep some to feed Roy the next day. I try to feed him lunch before he leaves as he is so skinny from an esophogus problem. There are a lot of foods that he can’t eat, but he does better on organic and non-processed food.  He is going for surgery soon.

Friday, I went to the newly-rented apartment of some friends from church.  They have just hung up their keys after 15 years of fulltiming.  I bought their lovely 2008 29’ Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel, Silver Fox Edition. 

Two slide-outs, spacious rear kitchen.

 

 

 

 

It isn’t what I really want, but as it was in my yard for me to sell for them, I figured I might as well get it, as it is in such nice condition.  Now, I am really in debt!!  I hope that I can sell my house soon, or I will have to sell the fifth wheel.

Then on July 2nd. the Bible readings were Psa.100, Num. 22:2-25:9, Micah 5:6-6:8, and 2 Peter 2.1-21, and the Teaching was about “Life’s Purpose.”, and I took a big pot of skillet-buttered cabage with onions and carrots, which all disappeared. 

One of the other dishes brought for the church potluck, chicken in tomato sauce, wasn’t all eaten, so they gave it to me for my neighbor.  I had to do an emergency stop on the way home.    Fortunately, I had the food in a cardboard box, but some of the tomato sauce splashed on my new beige rug in the back of the van.  While we were sorting out which shampooer to use on that rug, we got engrossed in straightening out a bunch of stuff in the storage area, and that looks a lot better now.  Tuesday, when the consignment and donation thrift shops are open, I can take a lot of the stuff that we sorted out.  Hopefully it won’t take too long to empty out this house, as long as I keep clearing out stuff each day.

USDA’s Meat ID Labels. Wheat Germ. Food Allergy or a Digestive Problem? President Roosevelt Telegrams Hirohito. Nelson Mandela.

 

For "Foodie Friday":

USDA’s Meat ID Labels Spark International Food Fight

"Most Americans don’t know where their chicken, beef and pork were born, raised and slaughtered, but a new rule now requires that labeling. Supporters say it educates consumers. But critics, including major meat companies, say it’s a costly and unnecessary protectionist measure.

Cargill and Tyson Foods (TSN), as well as their allies among meatpacking and major ranching associations, are locking horns with the Consumer Federation of America, farmers and small-to-midsize ranchers’ groups over the country of origin label rule, known in shorthand as COOL.

The COOL rule, which went into effect in November, requires more specific meat labels. It also bars commingling meat for everything except ground beef, by requiring all meat in a package to come from the same source. That will require new infrastructure to segregate cattle, swine and poultry from different countries.

Farmers’ associations and some ranchers’ groups say the rule keeps shoppers informed, much like grass-fed and organic labels.

“The consumer knows best,” Jess Peterson, executive vice president of U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, said. “They ought to know where their cattle are coming from.”  More at: http://www.cornucopia.org/2013/11/usdas-meat-id-labels-spark-international-food-fight/

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Why You Need Wheat Germ

By Pina LoGiudice ND, LAc and Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc
Directors of Inner Source Health

"Wheat germ is the most vitamin- and mineral-rich part of the wheat kernel. In fact, the germ is actually the embryo of the wheat plant. This embryo will eventually nourish the new wheat plan. This is the reason why it has so many wonderful nutrients.

Unfortunately, this kernel, which includes the wheat germ, is tragically removed during the refining of whole wheat grains to white flour. In the manufacturing process, it is removed because its healthy oils can go rancid quickly, so removing it makes it easier for food production companies to keep wheat in storage much longer. The germ itself only makes up about 3% of the kernel, and you need over 50 pounds of wheat to get one pound of wheat germ.

Why Is Wheat Germ So Good for You?

Because it is meant to feed the new plant, wheat germ is packed with good nutrients. Two tablespoons of raw wheat germ have about 1.5 grams of unsaturated fat, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, 2 grams dietary fiber, 2 grams of sugars, no cholesterol and about 60 calories. This is plenty of protein and fiber.

Plus, it has a number of other healthy nutrients for your body:

B vitamins

Wheat germ is packed with important B vitamins, such as folate, vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B6. B vitamins are important for the heart, to make proper mood chemicals for our brain, and are critical for cardiovascular health.

Fiber

Wheat germ contains lots of fiber, which is necessary for good blood sugar balance, cholesterol control, intestinal health and detoxification."

More at: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/why-you-need-wheat-germ

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For healthy whole grain foods, go to http://foodforlife.com/
For more information on the gluten intolerance saliva test: http://diagnostechs.com/Pages/FoodIntolerancePanel.aspx

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Food Allergy or Digestive Problem?

"Neither one is fun to experience, but there are some key differences between food allergies and digestive problems. One example: With a food allergy, you might get hives but you probably won't with a digestive condition."

 

 

 

Diagnosing a Food Allergy

"If you notice a reaction when you eat certain types of foods, talk to your primary care physician. If he suspects a food allergy, you may be referred to an allergist who can determine whether you are allergic to certain food allergens or if you have an intolerance. Either way, your doctors can help come up with a plan to avoid the food and manage the symptoms when and if a reaction occurs.

You should do this sooner than later. Fear of having a reaction to foods can keep you from enjoying dinners out in restaurants or dinner parties with friends. The sooner you know what the problem is, you can begin correcting it, and get both your diet and your social life back into gear."  From: http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergies/food-allergies-and-digestive-problems.aspx

On This Day:

Roosevelt to Japanese emperor: "Prevent further death and destruction", Dec 6, 1941:

On this day, President Roosevelt—convinced on the basis of intelligence reports that the Japanese fleet is headed for Thailand, not the United States—telegrams Emperor Hirohito with the request that "for the sake of humanity," the emperor intervene "to prevent further death and destruction in the world."

The Royal Australian Air Force had sighted Japanese escorts, cruisers, and destroyers on patrol near the Malayan coast, south of Cape Cambodia. An Aussie pilot managed to radio that it looked as if the Japanese warships were headed for Thailand—just before he was shot down by the Japanese. Back in England, Prime Minister Churchill called a meeting of his chiefs of staff to discuss the crisis. While reports were coming in describing Thailand as the Japanese destination, they began to question whether it could have been a diversion. British intelligence had intercepted the Japanese code "Raffles," a warning to the Japanese fleet to be on alert—but for what?

Britain was already preparing Operation Matador, the launching of their 11th Indian Division into Thailand to meet the presumed Japanese invasion force. But at the last minute, Air Marshall Brooke-Popham received word not to cross the Thai border for fear that it would provoke a Japanese attack if, in fact, the warship movement was merely a bluff.

Meanwhile, 600 miles northwest of Hawaii, Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, announced to his men: "The rise or fall of the empire depends upon this battle. Everyone will do his duty with utmost efforts." Thailand was, in fact, a bluff. Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii was confirmed for Yamamoto as the Japanese target, after the Japanese consul in Hawaii had reported to Tokyo that a significant portion of the U.S. Pacific fleet would be anchored in the harbor—sitting ducks. The following morning, Sunday, December 7, was a good day to begin a raid.

"The son of man has just sent his final message to the son of God," FDR joked to Eleanor after sending off his telegram to Hirohito, who in the Shinto tradition of Japan was deemed a god. As he enjoyed his stamp collection and chatted with Harry Hopkins, his personal adviser, news reached him of Japan's formal rejection of America's 10-point proposals for peace and an end to economic sanctions and the oil embargo placed on the Axis power. "This means war," the president declared. Hopkins recommended an American first strike. "No, we can't do that," Roosevelt countered. "We are a democracy and a peaceful people.""

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Yesterday:

South Africa's Nelson Mandela dies in Johannesburg

"South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela has died at the age of 95.  Mr. Mandela led South Africa's transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s, after 27 years in prison for his political activities.

"Our nation has lost its greatest son," Mr. Zuma said.  "Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss."  More at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520

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After another search in the Grooming Room, trying to find all the hidden cat toys, Ray and I pronounced the room good for Mindi's dogs.  The cats have little lightweight plastic ball toys with bells in them and toys with feathery things that the dogs might choke on.  So now, the heavy duty doggie toys are in there.

Then we went outside in the 40+° weather to put up the last piece of screen.  We screwed a temporary board across the side of the porch, to work on the top triangle.  That was so that we can have both 8' ladders leaning against the part that is already screened.  First, we had to take measurements, so it was easier with each of us on a ladder.   After we had cut the screen, it was much simpler with two of us to staple it in place.  That was all we could do, as it was getting too windy and chilly.   All the porch is now screened, but it was too cold for the cats to go out there.

Mindi's dogs arrived at 2.00 AM, and I was shocked when I saw the oldest, Punkie. I have known these dogs for 15 years.  She was as skinny as a rail, all hunchbacked and could hardly walk.  Mindi's husband was so surprised when he saw my Misty, who is plump, spry, sassy, and two years older than Punkie.  Mindi said that she knew that Punkie was on her last legs, and I was afraid that she wouldn't last the night. 

She can't see very well, so the first thing I did was cut off her bangs. Then, I quickly set up a 'hospital' cage for her, and fed her some canned Wellness, which she enthusiastically ate.  Two hours later, I took them all outside, and carried Punkie out there.  She peed, and when I put her back in the cage, I gave her some more Wellness and a little Spirulina, http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/benefits-of-spirulina/ .  I am going to try to make sure that nothing happens to Punkie while she is in my care for the next few days.

More Pet Treats Recalled. So Who Was Kilroy? Just Delete Me From Internet. Life-saving Viruses. USA Captures Mexico City. Theodore Roosevelt.

 

For “Summary Saturday”, News, some new, some old, that you might have not seen.

More Toxic Pet Treats Recalled: Why Pet Owners Must Remain Vigilant

“Dogswell Joins Nestle Purina, Del Monte, Hartz Mountain, Publix Stores and IMS Pet Industries in Recalling Pet Treats Due to Antibiotic Contamination

The Dogswell brands pulled from store shelves include Breathies, Happy Heart, Happy Hips, Mellow Mut, Shape Up, Veggie Life, Vitality and Vitakitty, all with a “best before” date of January 28, 2015 or any earlier date.”  More at:  http://www.care2.com/news/member/827551733/3640541

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Recommendations for Avoiding Toxic Pet Treats

Tip #2: Treats Should Be Sourced in the U.S. and Made in the U.S.

“The chicken jerky dog treats and other treats suspected of causing illness and death in pets have ingredients imported from China. Despite the efforts of the FDA and independent laboratories to isolate the contaminant, nothing has been identified, and five years after the first reports of sick and dying pets, the treats are still being produced by major pet food companies and sold by major retailers. So I would certainly strongly recommend avoiding any product containing ingredients sourced from China.

That said, I have found several excellent quality treats from New Zealand and Canada. The important point is to know and trust your treat company's commitment to purity and quality control.” Complete article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-karen-becker/pet-treats_b_3634992.html

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So who was Kilroy?

“...for those of you who don't know, here's the story... KILROY WAS HERE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He is engraved in stone in the National War Memorial in Washington, DC- back in a small alcove where very few people have seen it.  For the WWII generation, this will bring back memories. For you younger folks, it's a bit of trivia that is a part of our American history.  Anyone born in 1913 to about 1950, is familiar with Kilroy. No one knew why he was so well known- but everybody seemed to get into it.  So who was Kilroy?

 
In 1946 the American Transit Association, through its radio program, "Speak to America ," sponsored a nationwide contest to find the real Kilroy, offering a prize of a real trolley car to the person who could prove himself to be the genuine article. Almost 40 men stepped forward to make that claim, but only James Kilroy from Halifax , Massachusetts, had evidence of his identity.

'Kilroy' was a 46-year old shipyard worker during the war who worked as a checker at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy . His job was to go around and check on the number of rivets completed. Riveters were on piecework and got paid by the rivet. He would count a block of rivets and put a check mark in semi-waxed lumber chalk, so the rivets wouldn't be counted twice.  When Kilroy went off duty, the riveters would erase the mark.

Later on, an off-shift inspector would come through and count the rivets a second time, resulting in double pay for the riveters.
One day Kilroy's boss called him into his office.  The foreman was upset about all the wages being paid to riveters, and asked him to investigate.  It was then he realized what had been going on.

The tight spaces he had to crawl in to check the rivets didn't lend themselves to lugging around a paint can and brush, so Kilroy decided to stick with the waxy chalk. He continued to put his check mark on each job he inspected, but added 'KILROY WAS HERE' in king-sized letters next to the check, and eventually added the sketch of the chap with the long nose peering over the fence and that became part of the Kilroy message.

Once he did that, the riveters stopped trying to wipe away his marks. Ordinarily the rivets and chalk marks would have been covered up with paint. With the war on, however, ships were leaving the Quincy Yard so fast that there wasn't time to paint them. As a result, Kilroy's inspection "trademark" was seen by thousands of servicemen who boarded the troopships the yard produced.

 

His message apparently rang a bell with the servicemen, because they picked it up and spread it all over Europe and the South Pacific.

 

 

Before war's end, "Kilroy" had been here, there, and everywhere on the long hauls to Berlin and Tokyo. To the troops outbound in those ships, however, he was a complete mystery; all they knew for sure was that someone named Kilroy had "been there first." As a joke, U.S. servicemen began placing the graffiti wherever they landed, claiming it was already there when they arrived.

Kilroy became the U.S. super-GI who had always "already been" wherever GIs went. It became a challenge to place the logo in the most unlikely places imaginable (it is said to be atop Mt. Everest , the Statue of Liberty , the underside of the Arc de Triomphe, and even scrawled in the dust on the moon.

As the war went on, the legend grew. Underwater demolition teams routinely sneaked ashore on Japanese-held islands in the Pacific to map the terrain for coming invasions by U.S. troops (and thus, presumably, were the first GI's there).

On one occasion, however, they reported seeing enemy troops painting over the Kilroy logo!

 

In 1945, an outhouse was built for the exclusive use of Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill at the Potsdam conference. Its' first occupant was Stalin, who emerged and asked his aide (in Russian), "Who is Kilroy?"

 

To help prove his authenticity in 1946, James Kilroy brought along officials from the shipyard and some of the riveters.  He won the trolley car, which he gave to his nine children as a Christmas gift and set it up as a playhouse in the Kilroy yard in Halifax, Massachusetts.

 

And The Tradition Continues...

EVEN Outside Osama Bin Laden's House!!!”

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How To Erase Yourself From The Internet

Who knew a page full of links could be so useful?

JustDelete.me is a page full of links -- not ugly blue hyperlinks but links disguised as buttons. Each button represents an online service; anything from LinkedIn to Skype to Wikipedia.

Click a button and JustDelete.me will take you to the page on that online service that allows you to delete your account. If you click the "show info" link under each button, meanwhile, JustDelete.me will tell you, in plain English, how to delete your account from that site.'”  More and video at:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/justdeleteme_n_3866288.html

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Did You Know That Viruses Are Saving Your Life Right Now?

“New research reveals that a group of viruses called bacteriophages (phages) actually help you stay healthy by destroying harmful bacteria and encouraging beneficial bacteria to flourish in and on your body

Scientists found that these mucus-dwelling phages have symbiotic relationships with their host (you), and help control the delicate microbial balance in your body, giving you “smart mucus”

Similar symbiotic relationships have been detected in the mucus of other animals, including fish and the slime layer around sea coral

Phages sometimes insert their genetic material into a bacterium’s genome rather than killing it outright, a process that can actually protect the bacterium against other phages

This new information has exciting therapeutic implications for illnesses such as Crohn’s disease, IBD, ulcerative colitis, acne, and antibiotic-resistant infections like MRSA and deadly CRE.”

An epic take on viruses.

More at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/26/mucus-phages.aspx

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“Housework is something you do that nobody notices until you don't do it.” ~ Anonymous

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“Did you know America ranks the lowest in education but the highest in drug use? It's nice to be number one, but we can fix that. All we need to do is start the war on education. If it's anywhere near as successful as our war on drugs, in no time we'll all be hooked on phonics.” ~ Leighann Lord

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On This Day:

Scott captures Mexico City, Sep 14, 1847:

“During the Mexican-American War, U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott enter Mexico City and raise the American flag over the Hall of Montezuma, concluding a devastating advance that began with an amphibious landing at Vera Cruz six months earlier.

The Mexican-American War began with a dispute over the U.S. government's 1845 annexation of Texas. In January 1846, President James K. Polk, a strong advocate of westward expansion, ordered General Zachary Taylor to occupy disputed territory between the Nueces and Rio Grande Rivers. Mexican troops attacked Taylor's forces, and on May 13, 1846, Congress approved a declaration of war against Mexico.

On March 9, 1847, U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott invaded Mexico three miles south of Vera Cruz. They encountered little resistance from the Mexicans massed in the fortified city of Vera Cruz, and by nightfall the last of Scott's 10,000 men came ashore without the loss of a single life. It was the largest amphibious landing in U.S. history and not surpassed until World War II. By March 29, with very few casualties, Scott's forces had taken Vera Cruz and its massive fortress, San Juan de Ulua. On September 14, Scott's forces reached the Mexican capital.

In February 1848, representatives from the United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, formally ending the Mexican War, recognizing Texas as part of the United States, and extending the boundaries of the United States west to the Pacific Ocean.”

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An adoptive westerner becomes president of the United States, Sep 14, 1901:

“On this day in 1901, the 42-year-old Theodore Roosevelt is suddenly elevated to the White House when President McKinley dies from an assassin's bullet. But while McKinley's untimely death brought Roosevelt the presidency, 17 years earlier two other deaths had sent the young Roosevelt fleeing to the far West where his political ambitions were almost forgotten.

In February 1884, Roosevelt's young wife died after giving birth to their daughter; a mere 12 hours later his much-beloved mother also died. Devastated by this cruel double blow, Roosevelt sought solace in the wide open spaces of the West, establishing himself on two ranches in the Badlands of Dakota Territory and writing to friends that he had given up politics and planned to make ranching "my regular business." Despite this, three years later he returned to New York City and resumed the political career that would eventually take him to the White House. Even after he had returned to the civilized East, Roosevelt always credited his western interlude with restoring his mental and physical vitality.

From an early age, Roosevelt had been convinced of the benefits of living the "strenuous life," arguing that too many American males had succumbed to the ease and safety of modern industrialized society and become soft and effeminate. Roosevelt thought more men should follow his example and embrace the hard, virile, pioneer life of the West, a place where "the qualities of hardihood, self-reliance, and resolution" were essential for survival. Roosevelt's own western experience was hardly as harsh and challenging as he liked to claim, yet the eastern tenderfoot did adapt quickly to the rougher ways of ranch life. He earned the respect of Dakotans by tracking down a gang of bandits who had stolen a riverboat and once knocked out a barroom bully who had taunted him. Though he spent the vast majority of his life in the East, Roosevelt thereafter always thought of himself as a westerner at heart, and he did more than any president before him to conserve the wild western lands he loved.”

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Yesterday:

Misty and I went to get Jay, and she wanted to walk further than I did during our walk down there.

Back here, Ray painted most of the main part of the shed white, while Jay and I screwed down the roofs over the screen porch and front porch, more securely.  Well, Jay was up there, and I was below, handing him things. Each panel had been put in place with just a few screws, to make sure we had it right, so it was time to batten it down permanently.

Having lived 100 miles from the TX coast for many years, I know that hurricanes can do weird things, and we wanted to be prepared just in case we got high winds.

Hurricane Humberto isn’t likely to affect us, but you never know if it will change direction and get into the Gulf.

Hurricane Humberto

“The name Humberto has been used for four tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean. The name replaced Hugo, which was retired after the 1989 season.

Hurricane Humberto (1995) - reached Category 2 Strength but remained in open sea.

Hurricane Humberto (2001) - passed near Bermuda but caused no damage.

Hurricane Humberto (2007) - rapidly forming storm which struck the U.S. state of Texas as a strong Category 1 hurricane, causing one death and $50 million in damage.

Hurricane Humberto (2013) - Category 1 hurricane currently active in the eastern Atlantic Ocean after briefly affecting the Cape Verde Islands.”    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But we might have some rain from Tropical Storm Ingrid in the southern Gulf - “Significant rainfall and flood threat this weekend across eastern Mexico - Heavy rains will spread into south Texas later this weekend, with increasing rip current risk, large swell, and beach erosion possible.”

We will see if the new roofs leak, as we have thunderstorms forecast for a few days.